2006年VOA标准英语-Musician Wants to Bring Music Back to New

By Greg Flakus
New Orleans, LA
03 February 2006
 
watch New Orleans Jazz report

New Orleans is known around the world as a birthplace of jazz. Hurricane Katrina scattered¹ many of the city's musicians and artists across the country. Fewer than 300 of the city's pre-Katrina population of over 2,000 musicians have returned. But the city, as part of its recovery effort, is trying to get more of them back.

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Revitalizing the culture of New Orleans is the goal of the Bring Back New Orleans Cultural committee.

 

Wynton Marsalis  
  

The best-known member of the committee is famed jazz musician and New Orleans native Wynton Marsalis.

He grew up in a musical family and used New Orleans tradition as a base from which to develop his own style.

Hurricane Katrina devastated² many neighborhoods that contributed to the city's artistic³ standing⁴, but Marsalis says New Orleans music was in decline well before the storm came.

"In all of our education, we did not learn a lot about New Orleans music. That is a fact, and it has continued on to today. The level that the music is being played on is low and the knowledge of other New Orleans' traditions is equally low."

The answer, he says, is better education. "Kids need to be educated, you know.” He says he has been proactive in trying to educate the young, "I teach them. I have been teaching young people for 25 years, man. I give them information, take them to concerts."

Wynton Marsalis says he enjoys working with younger musicians like 19-year-old Calvin Johnson, to help foster a new generation in New Orleans's music.

jazz student Calvin  
  
Calvin says most kids his age are not interested in jazz and he agrees with Wynton Marsalis as to the remedy. "One angle that can be taken is music in the schools, arts in the schools. That really plays an important role in the development and the early childhood interest. That is the only reason I am into it, as well as my family, is that I was exposed to it as a child."

Of the $80 billion Congress has promised for the rebuilding of New Orleans, Wynton Marsalis hopes a small part, less than one percent, can be spent to revive its cultural soul.

1 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

2 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

3 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。